Alperen Sengun has been a thorn in the side of the Los Angeles Lakers, and the Houston Rockets forward should be at it again on Sunday night, per our NBA betting picks.

The Houston Rockets’ six-game winning streak was put to an end by a hungry Clippers team on Friday, and now they’ll be faced with another tough test as they remain in L.A. to take on the Lakers.

With the status of LeBron James in the air and the Lakers playing some sluggish ball, might the underdogs be worth a look here?

Let’s dive right into it with our in-depth analysis of the NBA odds and free NBA picks for Rockets vs. Lakers for Sunday, November 19.

Rockets vs Lakers odds

Rockets vs Lakers predictions

First and foremost, these odds are subject to change depending on whether or not LeBron James suits up. He’s currently listed as questionable due to a calf contusion, but given the line and the low severity of the injury, we should assume for the moment that he is playing.

Even with James in the lineup, this is still a very problematic matchup for the Lakers. Houston is taking a page out of L.A.’s playbook and running the second-slowest offense in basketball while relying on its defense to win games. The Lakers have actually preferred to play a bit more in transition this season and rank 16th in pace, but their defense is trailing significantly behind the Rockets, ranked fourth in that regard.

So, it’s safe to say the Rockets are capable of beating the Lakers at their own game, which is to slow the pace down and win games in the halfcourt.

This matchup is also similar to the one we saw between the Clippers and Rockets a few nights ago, where the Clippers entered with real issues rebounding the ball and got cooked down low by Alperen Sengun. The Lakers rank just 14th in defense at the rim according to Cleaning the Glass, which should put Sengun in another good spot here. It’s also worth noting that the Rockets are first against the three, which should really hamper the Lakers’ ability to score here.

I love the points here with the upstart Rockets. This is a good team that’s still being undervalued by oddsmakers.

My best bet: Rockets +5.5 (-110 at DraftKings)

Rockets vs Lakers same-game parlay

Rockets +5.5

Lakers team total Under 112.5

Alperen Sengun Over 32.5 points + rebounds + assists

Whether it was last March in a meaningless game or in the first month of this season, the Lakers have never liked seeing Alperen Sengun other side of the floor. He’s averaging better than 19 points per game against L.A. in his career, and he went for 19, seven, and four last time out against the Lakers in just 25 minutes on an incredibly efficient 8-for-10 shooting.

The Rockets’ defense laid waste to the Lakers in that game, which is why I like the Under on the team total here, and Sengun didn’t play a ton of minutes as a result. It’s hard to deny just how great he was on the offensive end, and I think he should easily eclipse this number assuming he does see upwards of 30 minutes as he is accustomed to.

The Lakers simply don’t have a strong offensive unit, and they’re going to run into one of the best defenses in the league right now which has done an excellent job on the perimeter to guard 3s and mid-range shots. I’m pretty confident in this parlay if the Rockets show up as expected.

Learn how to bet a same-game parlay with these helpful tips and strategies.

Rockets vs Lakers spread and Over/Under analysis

There can’t be any consideration here other than the Under. The Rockets should have the opportunity to control this game with their defense, and as a result they will win the battle and slow down the pace of the contest.

The Lakers have historically played at a very slow pace since James’ arrival, and I certainly think while they’ve been in the middle of the pack in that regard early on in the season, they are beginning to slow things down a bit and are cognizant of the fact that they need to win games behind their defense.

So, while this number is low, it’s not quite low enough for me. I’ll also point out that there’s more money on the Under at DraftKings, signaling some big players are taking the side of a low-scoring game as well.

Rockets vs Lakers betting trend to know

The Houston Rockets have hit the moneyline in 13 of their last 25 games (+11.60 Units / 40% ROI). Find more NBA betting trends for Rockets vs. Lakers.

Rockets vs Lakers game info

Rockets vs Lakers latest injuries

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